


Astralina Reid

by KESwriter



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV), Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22614775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KESwriter/pseuds/KESwriter
Summary: Loosely connected sequel to Four Heartbeats: Astralina Reid has never known either of her parents, as her father Spencer died before she was born, and her mother is apparently on the run. Raised by the BAU, she is a happy almost-teenager with two hearts and odd powers that will lead to the discovery of her greatest potential.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is different, I know. Please consider dropping a constructive comment.

As long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with the stars. My adoptive parents said it began before I could talk. They said I would not stop pointing at the sky at night. They painted my ceiling when I was five to reflect the night sky. I can pick out constellations on it. My mom (okay, not my real mom but you get the idea) took me to the planetarium that same year, and after we left, I talked a mile minute about everything we saw. It feels as though my destiny is in the stars.

My name is Astralina Diana Reid. My friends call me Astra. I am thirteen days away from turning thirteen. My father Spencer Reid, died before I was born saving my mother, is what I am told. I have never met my mother, as my parents say what she does for a living, has attracted some dangerous enemies. She trusted my father’s friends, who work for the FBI catching serial killers, to take care of me. My adoptive mother “J.J.” is the mother of his two godsons, who I consider to be my brothers, as they love me like a sister. My adoptive dad is a cop in DC. My best friend is Rose Simmons, whose father was also teammate of my dad’s. I’m close with all of my dad’s friends from law enforcement. It is a big happy family.

“Morning star girl,” my dad said affectionately when I came down for breakfast. “Have any weird dreams?”

That’s a thing with me. I get dreams where I can almost predict the future. I dreamed my mom was hit from behind with a baseball bat the day before it happened. I dreamed two days earlier. Henry would meet a girl named with bright red hair named Anna, who is now his first steady girlfriend. Rose was going to have a pop quiz. It ranged from silly, to serious.

“Nope,” I said. “How’s the case mom’s working on?”

“She said that it’s coming along,” he said as he spooned eggs on my plate.

“They released the suspect they had?” I said.

“How do you keep doing that?” he asked with a note of bemused irritation.

That’s another thing. I can read people’s thoughts. Not everyone’s, and not all the time. But I am very good at reading my parents as I’ve known them my whole life. I’ve learned to hide it as I’ve seen too many sci-fi shows where doctors pick apart people with such powers, or are feared like the X-men. I’ll tell you about my two hearts later.

“It’s a mystery,” I said as I poured some orange juice.

“Are you prepared for that math test?” he asked.

“I hacked the teacher's computer so I have all the answers,” I said.

“Astra,” he said seriously.

“I’m kidding.”

I could have if I wanted to. This just comes from being around Aunt Penny. She taught me to code while I was learning the alphabet and it came to me naturally. Another power that comes with great responsibility. 

“Listen kiddo,” my dad said seriously, “You’re coming on a big milestone. I just want to say how proud I am of the young woman you’re becoming. Always remember that.”

“What is with you guys?” I asked. “Mom stood and watched me pretend to sleep for twenty minutes. She said same thing before she left. I’m turning thirteen, it’s not like I’m going to college afterwards. Relax.”

“You’ll understand, one day,” he said. “When you’re a parent.”

“I just want to live to avoid Elly Gray’s snide remarks about my lack of boobs until I get some. I’m not taking on anything greater.”

“There is still so much you don’t know,” my dad said.

“Because I’m only almost thirteen, not thirty,” I said and finished eating. “I hope I don’t grow up do be a weird parent.”

“There’s nothing wrong with weird,” he said. “I wear my weirdness badge on my shoulder.”

“The bus is going to be here soon,” I said. “I’ve got to go.”

“Have a good day! I love you star girl.”

“I love you too, dad.”

I walked to the front door and stepped outside. There was still the faintest hint of a moon. The moon didn’t interest me. People have been to the moon. I want to go farther. I want to be among the stars.

As much as I mock my parents for being weird, I know something is very different about me. It is not just the clairvoyant dreams, mind reading, or having two hearts (thought that would be enough). One day I’ll have all the answers. Until that day comes, I’ll just fend off bullies, ace tests, paint my nails with Rose, and see what happens on my thirteenth birthday.


	2. Chapter Two:

“Do you think Mikey will ask me to the spring fling dance?” Rose asked while we got our books. “We’ve been hanging out together a lot and he hasn’t shown any interest in any other girls.”

I rolled my eyes. Rose was all ga, ga, for guys these days. I liked Mikey as a friend, but I wouldn’t want to date him.

“I hope he does,” I said.

“What will you do if he invites me?” Rose asked.

“Skip it. I don’t like dances that much to begin with.”

“Oh, Astra. Your head is always in the stars.”

“Yeah,” I said. “One day I’ll know why, but I settle for acing Woodruff’s math quiz.”

“Half-breed! Star freak!” Elly gray shouted at us while ensconced in her click of friends, who laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at them.

“Get a life!”

She rolled her eyes and moved on.

“Promise you’ll slap me senseless if I ever become like her or one of her brainless posse,” Rose said.

“Cross my heart and hope to die,” I said.

…

Woodruff’s math test was a breeze. It wouldn’t have been worth the risk to hack her computer as math was easy for me. I was done in ten minutes while the rest of the class struggled.

No one in my family of agent aunts and uncles will ever say it to my face, but I think they’re disappointed I’m not as smart as my dad. He was genius, I’m just above average. I have his wavy hair and long lines in terms of resemblance, but I also excel at sports. They look at me sometimes with a mixture of sadness and pride. It’s been over thirteen years and sometimes it seems like they miss him as though he died yesterday.

I doodled circles in my notebook. I always doodle in circles for some reason. They form interesting patterns that creep around the edges of my notebooks. Just another one of my quirks.

Next was English. Mr. Kendrick is still mad at me about the assignment where he asked us to write about our dreams. I wrote about a dream where a woman with super-short hair was smashing a black retro convertible to pieces. How was I supposed to know that it was his wife he was in the process of divorcing? My parents were smiling when they came from the meeting where he accused me of spying on him. The guy was nuts.

“I hope you are excited today, class,” he said. “Because today we’re going to discuss science fiction.”

Rose winked at me. Yes, this did appeal to me.

He went over the history of science fiction and Elly raised her hand.

“Ask Astra what she thinks of science fiction.”

“Sure Astra, you’re known for you love of the stars,” he said. “What are your thoughts of sci-fi as a genre?”

“I think science fiction holds a piece of the universe,” I said. “We truly do not know what is out there and anything is possible.”

“Even little green men?” a slacker in the back said.

“Everyone deserves to be treated equally,” I said. “It doesn’t matter your size or skin color.”

“Very interesting Astra,” Hendrick said with a hint of dismissal in his voice. “Let’s look at some famous writers.”

“Freak,” one of Elly’s followers coughed.

I could never explain why I find the universe outside of earth so fascinating. Not even to Rose as she tried to understand. It’s like that old Frozen II song where Elsa begs the voice to reveal who it she is. I know something is waiting for me outside this school, this planet. I just don’t know what.

…

Mikey asked Rose to hang back after history, so I went to lunch alone. I sat down with Layla, Andre, and Damon. I knew Layla from the track team and Rose played soccer with her. We’ve known Andre and Damon since kindergarten, and it’s clear they’re gay for each other. Damon told me they’d come out in high school.

“So, career day is coming up next week,” Layla said. “Have you invited Hunky Henry to speak?”

“He’s a first-year handwriting analyst for the police,” I said. “It’s not as interesting as it sounds, as they don’t let him work on the serious stuff yet.”

“I don’t care about that,” Layla said. “He’s easy on the eyes.”

I sighed. 

“When I’m going to find boys so interesting?” 

“You may never,” Andre said. “Expand your horizons.”

“I’ve tried,” I said.

“Is there an answer to the question?” Damon asked.

“Yes, he’s coming,” I said with a dramatic sigh.

“Yay!” Layla said gleefully.

Rose appeared beaming with a skip in her step as she carried her brown bag lunch.

“Guess who has a date to the Spring Fling dance?”

“Larry Dormer,” Damon said. “He’s been asking every girl who’ll look in his direction.”

“Which is why I never do,” I said.

She swatted him with her lunch bag.

“Mikey asked me!”

I raised my hand, and we high-fived.

“Congrats.”

“Watch out,” Andre said. “Admins are here.”

“Who’re they looking at?” I asked as I avoided eye contact.

“Us,” Layla said.

“Astralina Reid,” Mr. Blackwell said. “You need to come with us.”

My friends gave me sympathetic looks as I got up. 

“Text me,” Rose mouthed.

I nodded.

They led me to the principal’s office where I found Aunt Emily. She was deputy director of the FBI. This couldn’t be a social visit.

“Sit down, Astra,” she said.

“Aunt Emily, what’s going on?”

“You’re old enough for me to give it to you directly: Your father’s been abducted.”

I thought I was going to sink into the floor. My corny, weird dad, had been kidnapped.

“What happened?” I asked.

“He was on his way to a meeting with another captain in Columbia Heights when his car was ambushed in the middle of the street. There are no functioning cameras in the area, and no witnesses have come forward. Your dad’s car had been rammed into, and there were signs of a struggle.

“But they left a note?” I said.

She looked annoyed. Her thoughts were extremely easy to read right now.

“What is it Aunt Emily?” I said. “Tell me.”

“We have our best linguists working on it,” she said.

“But it reminds you of me somehow?”

Prentiss pulled out her phone.

“Don’t let anyone know I showed you this.”

The note was just a series of circles. They were almost identical in pattern to the ones I’ve been doodling in my notebooks. No wonder Aunt Emily was freaked out, as she’s seen them often enough as a regular visitor to my house. I certainly was. One of my quirks suddenly had a suddenly serious implication.


	3. Chapter Three:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm new here, but keep me in your thoughts. My dog of fourteen years, might be dying. I have a few chapters written already, so I'll keep posting for a couple days. If anyone from fanfiction.net has found this, Heir is being put on hold for a while.

After getting my stuff, I was escorted home by two agents. There another two guarding the front door. Uncle Matt opened it.

I hugged him.

“It’s going to be okay,” he said. “We’ll find your dad.”

After one too many close calls, Uncle Matt opted for a desk job three years ago. I was glad to see him.

“Mikey asked Rose to the dance,” I said.

“Great,” he said as we went inside.

“So, what now?” I asked. “We wait for more demands or someone to crack the code that oddly resembles the doodles in my notebooks?”

“You read Aunt Emily’s mind?”

“Partially,” I said as I put my stuff in the kitchen.

“It’s probably just a coincidence,” he said.

I didn’t believe that for second and I knew Uncle Matt didn’t either.

“Do you want to play one of Michael’s old videogames?” he asked.

“I bet I can still beat you at Mario Kart,” I said.

“Game on,” he said with a smile.

It was a distraction. My head wasn’t really in it, but I tried anyway. I still managed to force Uncle Matt off the road and hit him with a few weapons. We both managed to seriously laugh a few times. Uncle Matt was fun.

There was the sound of a commotion downstairs. Matt cautioned me to stay in Michael’s room.

I waited a few seconds then heard a voice I recognized.

“Henry, you’ve got to calm down.”

I crept down the stairs.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Henry said angrily. “Why does the note resemble Astra’s doodles?”

“It’s probably just a coincidence,” Uncle Matt said.

“You and I both know that is bull!” he said. “This has something to do with her. I know it!”

“Henry, you’ve got to seriously calm down,” Uncle Matt said. “We don’t know anything for certain.”

“I just want him back,” he said weakly. “If Astra has any clues as to what is going on, shouldn’t we look into them?”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Uncle Matt said. “You’re too close to this. Someone else just sees a bunch of circles, we only them as Astra’s doodles because we see her notebooks regularly. Think less like someone who has seen them and more like someone who hasn’t. And try to relax. Okay?”

“Okay,” he said.

“If I know your sister, she’s probably been listening in on this whole conversation.”

I came downstairs.

“Guilty as charged,” I said.

“Hey Astra,” Henry. “I didn’t mean to get so hot. I just really want answers. I want to find dad.”

“I know,” I said. “It is weird they look like my doodles.”

“But like Uncle Matt said, it could be a coincidence,” he said.

“Sure,” I said.

“I’ve got to get back to work,” he said.

Henry quickly hugged me.

“See you later.”

He then left.

“Your brother means well, but he’s still new,” Uncle Matt said. “This is going to be hard on the whole family.”

“Is Michael coming home from Stanford?” I asked.

“No, but they’ve beefed up security around his dorm as a precaution,” he said.

“Do you mind if I text Rose?” I asked.

“Go ahead,” he said. “But leave out the part about the doodles. We don’t want that to become public knowledge.”

Rose had left me a dozen texts demanding to know what was going on as kids saw FBI SUVs in the parking lot. I quickly explained about dad and omitted the part about the writing. I did add that her dad was thrilled Mikey was taking her to the dance.

“OMG R U OK!?” she texted.

“Just numb,” I texted back.

“I’m here if U need me OK?”

“I know,” I texted.

“G2G Nichols is making rounds.”

Mrs. Nichols was our French teacher. Generally nice, but she didn’t tolerate cellphone use.

Uncle Matt shook his head.

“I don’t know how you girls manage to avoid getting caught texting,” he said.

“It’s an art form,” I said.

There was another knock on the door. It was Uncle Dave with a pizza.

“Did someone order a double-meat pizza?” he said with humor.

“Do we have to tip you?” I said gamely.

“Only in hugs,” he said and put the pizza down.

“Come here, kid,” he said.

I gave him a big hug. Uncle Dave had been retired for ten years, but he was still active in law enforcement. He taught, cowrote books with Uncle Matt, and consulted occasionally.

“Hey Dave,” Uncle Matt said.

Uncle Dave gave him a hug too.

We divided up the pizza.

“How’s school?” he asked me.

“Boring,” I said. “I finished my math quiz in ten minutes.”

“Your father would be proud,” he said.

“Ever think about writing science fiction, Uncle Dave?” I asked.

“I have always found the real world to be strange enough,” he said. “Why?”

“We’re studying it in English,” I said.

“You should have fun with that,” he said.

“People think it’s weird that I believe science fiction could be real,” I said.

“That is just their opinion,” Uncle Matt said.

“When is my mom coming home?” I asked abruptly.

“Soon,” Uncle Matt said. “They’re just finishing up that case in Oakland.”

The door suddenly burst open. Aunt Emily appeared. She didn’t even greet as she rushed through the house. 

I quickly followed.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

She stopped briefly. “I don’t have time to explain.”

I kept my mouth shut even I knew what she was thinking.

Uncle Matt and Dave pushed in front of me. They climbed the stairs and I watched as they headed to my parent’s room.

Five minutes later they emerged grim-faced. All three were open books to me. I searched their minds for what I needed.

“Did you find a clue?” I asked.

“I’m sorry Astralina,” she said. “I need to get back to work.”

She left as quickly as she came.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and study?” Uncle Matt suggested.

I wasn’t in the mood to argue so, I grabbed my things and went upstairs. 

Except I went right instead of left to my parent’s room. I went into their closet that Aunt Emily had just torn through. In the back there was a safe. I had read Emily’s mind to get the code.

I opened it to find a mixture of odd things in a box with my name on it. A onesie that said: “Time Lady in Training.” A tiny metal rod with a light on the top. More clothes. A gray cylinder that I chose to keep. Finally, a small box. I opened and found what had Aunt Emily so concerned.

It was a fob watch on a silver chain. There were a series of circles on it.

Emily replayed a memory in her head.

“We’ve all seen in,” my mom said. “It was almost thirteen years ago. Look in my safe. I swear we have all seen it.”

This was my name in an alien language. My father’s abduction was directly tied to me.


	4. Chapter Four:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dog is doing better!

Here’s what I know about my parents. My father was invited to a law enforcement conference in England. He met my mom at the hotel bar and realized she was in trouble. He harbored her in his hotel room for the night and apparently did more than talk. She left before he woke up the next day. My father ended up dead the next night in a London alleyway.

Six months later, my mom shows up at the BAU very pregnant with me. Her parents were international arms dealers and she joined the business. When she tried to opt out after seeing what the weapons she was selling illegally were doing, that’s when the threats came.

She owed people money. The BAU agreed to keep her safe. They tried to get her into witness protection, but it didn’t work out. After she delivered me, she left a note in the hospital for my mom and dad to care of me and that she’d be in touch when it was safe. The only name she gave was Jane Smith.

I never really bought the story. My BAU family shared it in bits and pieces. I would try to read their minds, but I think they practiced mindfulness before talking to me about it, which clouds my abilities. I can sense they’re scared, of what I don’t know.

I told Uncle Dave and Matt I was going to bed early. Rose texted me a few times, and I texted back I wasn’t up for talking. She got it, as Uncle Matt had been abducted during one of his last cases and that scared her good. 

I logged on to my computer and Googled: “Time Lady,” like what was printed on the onesie. There were mostly posts about home makers saving time, and tips for how to do makeup quickly.

Then I saw an article called: “The Last Time Lady: Whatever happened to Doctor Who.”

I had heard of the show but never really paid attention. I guess it was a big TV show years ago, but not recently. 

There was a picture of a woman with short blond hair with dark roots like mine. She was holding a metal rod with a yellow light on the top like the one I found in the safe.

Skimming the article, I found out it was about an alien who traveled through time and space in a ship that looked like a police box, but was bigger on the inside. She had thirteen other faces (different actors), all male, as she could changer her body when facing immanent death. She often traveled with “companions” from Earth, England to be exact, as that was where the show was produced.

There weren’t many details about why the show stopped after the episode “Spyfall.” The BBC cited budgetary concerns and fans were generally dissatisfied with the last two seasons of the show. The actors moved on and didn’t speak of what happened, though none had landed high-profile roles since then.

I picked up on the word Gallifrey. Googling it shocked me. It was all circles, like my doodles. There was a code for how to write in Gallifreyan. I dug up my notebooks and started translating.

I was writing the alphabet. I also kept writing a word that was indecipherable. It was gibberish in English. It must be a name.

There was a knock on my door. I cleared my browsing history, turned off the computer, and dashed in to bed.

“You okay, Astra?” Uncle Matt asked as he quietly opened the door.

I pretended to sleep.

He closed the door.

None of this made sense. Why did my doodles resemble something out of a TV show that had been off the air for thirteen years? Why did the Doctor look vaguely like me? Could I really be something far stranger than even I could have imagined?

I thought about my two hearts. I was confused in first grade when asked to place my hand over my heart for the pledge of allegiance. This I had Googled extensively. There were only three other cases like mine in the world. My doctor was a heart specialist who got famous off an article he wrote about me when I was a baby. I was never named, but some weird people did show up, my brothers told me. We moved a couple years later.

Looking at the gray cylinder I took, it looked ordinary but I somehow felt it had a presence. It was hard to explain. Holding it in my hand, it didn’t weigh much. The metal surface felt cool to the touch. I hid it under my pillow. It was another mystery.

Sleeping proved difficult. I was worried about my dad. I was in the middle of this investigation. My doodles also happened to resemble something out of an old sci-fi TV show whose lead character I look something like. Eventually, I rolled into sleep.

…

I woke up to the sound of my phone beeping at close to six in the morning. Rose sent me a video file. I opened it and it sent chills down my spine.  
My dad was wearing a bomb vest with a digital counter. It had eight hours on it. 

He was speaking mostly in gibberish except one word was clear. He repeated the gibberish line. The only word discernable was my name.

My pillow lit up. The cylinder had turned blue and for some reason the video changed.

“In eight hours, you will give us Astralina, or her adoptive father will be the first of many casualties in the war for the Doctor’s child.”

I quickly deleted the conversation from my phone, and hid the cylinder deeper in my bed.

Minutes later, there was a knock on my door. Uncle Matt came in.

“Give me your phone,” he said.

“Why?” I asked.

“I’ll explain later,” he said. “Give it to me.”

“Okay,” I said and handed it to him.

He then took my computer. I knew better than to play too stupid.

“Uncle Matt, what don’t you want me to see?” 

“We don’t want you to see it until we have more answers,” he said. “Go back to sleep.”

Today was technically a school day, so my internal clock was already awake, even before I saw the video.

I pulled out the cylinder and stared at it. It was gray again.

“What is going on?” I asked it.

It lit up red, followed by white, and then red again. It then reverted to gray.

“That wasn’t helpful,” I said and stared at my ceiling of stars.

The answer was up there.


	5. Chapter Five:

I got bored after an hour of staring at the cylinder and went downstairs. Uncle Matt had made pancakes.

“Chocolate chip,” he said. “Your favorite.”

“Any leads on what you don’t want me to see?” I asked.

“Everyone in the BAU is working on it,” he said. “Eat up.”

I took some pancakes.

“Where is my mom?”

“She’s at the BAU,” he said. “She’s working to find your father.”

“You know I could just read your mind and find all the answers,” I said.

“I’ve been practicing mindfulness all morning,” he said. “You’ll have a hard time finding the answers.”

I sighed. Grownups could be so stupid at times.

“Hey,” he said. “We’re going to get your dad back. I don’t doubt it for a second.”

“What am I supposed to do all day?” I asked. “Sit and panic?”

“Try reading,” he said. “Uncle Dave will be here to watch you while I head in.”

“To watch me?” I said. “I’m almost thirteen and there are armed guards around the entire house.”

“You know what I mean,” he said.

I munched on the pancakes. His were always dry. All I could think of was dad in the bomb vest. It was ticking down to at least seven hours now.

There was a knock on the door. Uncle Dave appeared holding a stack of board games.

“Hey kid, have you ever played Battleship?” he asked.

“With my brothers a couple times,” I said.

“Sounds like fun,” Uncle Matt said. “I wish I could stay.”

“I’m going to go change,” I said.

“Don’t be gone too long,” Uncle Dave said. “I already have my pieces in place.”

My adoptive family was composed of some of the smartest people on the planet. Yet this was their strategy for keeping me from thinking of my dad: Board games.

I went upstairs and snuck into Michael’s room. I was remarkably patient for someone my age. Which is how I managed to save up for a phone I bought at a mall kiosk with Rose when our parents thought we were hiding in the bra section. I kept the “burner phone,” as they call it, in the bottom of Michael’s desk.

Rose texted me back immediately.

“OMG U R the talk of the school. Teachers can’t pull us away from our phones. Did my dad take yours?”

“And my computer, I can’t text long. Uncle Dave is babysitting.”

“That sucks. They have no idea you know?”

“Yep.”

“I’m freaking out! What is going to happen? Even Elly seems like she cares.”

“Then the world must be coming to an end.”

“Astra?” Uncle Dave called out.

“G2G. Check back later.”

“I’ll be right down,” I called out.

I quickly changed and went downstairs. 

“Can we play poker instead?” I asked.

He laughed.

“I’m not as dumb as I look. I’m still hurting from the last time you beat me.”

“That was like three months ago.”

“Your father was a brilliant player too,” he said. “Come on.”

We sat down in front of the battle stations.

“When was the last time anyone talked with my bio mom?” I asked.

“About three years ago,” he said. “She asked how you were doing.”

“What’d you say?”

“That you were a happy and healthy, bright young lady,” he said.

“Why can’t I see a picture of her?” I asked.

“Astra,” he said with a sigh. “We’ve been over this. Your parents have too. She always avoided pictures out of fear they’d be traced.”

Reading his mind, I could see he had repeated it so many times in his head, he was starting to believe it.

I didn’t try to read his mind for clues for the game. He actually seemed to enjoy playing with me while I went through the motions. Anything to distract from my dad with the bomb vest.

“Scrabble time!” he said.

“No criminology terms,” I said.

“Deal,” he said with a smile.

He had spelled eczema when his phone rang. He quickly left the room to take it.

The guards burst in. Aunt Tara appeared.

“Honey, grab some clothes,” she said. “We need to move you.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Something bad had happened. Aunt Tara was always harder to read because of her psychology training.

“There is no time. Get some things,” she said. “Hurry.”

I ran upstairs and put some clothes, the cylinder, and a notebook in my backpack. I then ran into Michael’s room and called Rose. She picked up instantly.

“They blew up your parents Astra!” Rose sobbed. “Your mom was there trying to get the vest off when… Oh god, all the blood!”

I dropped the phone. I fell to my knees. 

Aunt Tara appeared. She quickly put two and two together and grabbed me by the shoulders as I sobbed.

“We’re going to take care of you,” she said. “I promise.”

…

The rest of the day was a blur. I spent hours in a van crying as Aunt Tara stroked my hair. I was an orphan again before I turned thirteen.

Henry was waiting at the heavily guarded ranch. He hugged me tightly. We cried together.

Eventually it was just the two of us in a small kitchen. Michael had called earlier to say he was on his way. Henry made grilled cheese sandwiches for the two of us. We ate in silence. 

After hours of crying I finally realized I needed to do something. Henry was my best hope.

“I think you need to tell me the real story behind how I got adopted,” I said.

“You really think now is the time to bring all that up?” he asked.

“I know dad was forced to repeat gibberish over and over, except the only word anyone could decipher was my name. What do you know Henry?”

He wouldn’t look at me.

“Please. It got them killed. You’ve got to know something.”

“Mom and Dad swore me to secrecy,” he said. “They said it was the only way to protect you.”

“What’s the real story?”

“Uncle Spencer had disappeared six months ago when a woman showed up during an investigation in Omaha. When Mom come back from the case, she was carrying you and a suitcase of stuff. I was told you were my new sister as your mom was in danger.”

“That’s it?” I said.

“I was a kid myself back then,” he said. “I know there are visible holes now. I don’t know.”

“What do you think?” I asked him. “About where I’m from?”

“I think, Uncle Spencer fell for a dangerous woman. The two hearts, mind reading, and clairvoyant dreams, those are just part of who you are.”

I sighed.

“I know you want better answers Astra,” he said. “But I don’t have them.”

“I’m going to bed,” I said.

He grabbed my hand.

“I’m not going to say we’re going to be okay. But I’m going to take care if you and Michael. I promise. We’ll figure something out. We’re family, right?”

I hugged him. We held on for a long time.

…

Making sure the door was shut to my room, I went to my backpack and pulled out the cylinder.

“You’re going to help me,” I said. “You have answers I want. Show me something that will help me find who killed my parents.”

The cylinder suddenly burned my hands. I dropped it, and it landed perfectly on a round end.

A blinding blue light came out of it. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, the cylinder was the size of a phone booth.

An opening appeared. I didn’t hesitate to go inside. Even in my haze of grief, going inside felt like I was coming home.


	6. Chapter Six:

It was a wide open, white space with round shapes dotting the walls. In the center was a console with a glass tube full of odd silver instruments in the center.

“What is this place?” I asked out loud.

“The TARDIS.”

I looked and saw a woman’s face surrounded by brown ring curls in the glass tube.

“The baby is all grown up!” she said, looking at me.

“Who’re you?” I asked.

“I’ll get your mummy,” she said happily. “She’ll be so pleased to see you, her baby!”

“What is going on?”

The blond woman from the TV show appeared in the glass tube.

“Astralina?” she said curiously.

“Mom?” I asked, choking back tears.

“Oh, Astralina,” she said. “You’re so big.”

“I’m only almost thirteen,” I said.

“It has been that long?” she said.

“Where am I?” I asked.

“Your parents haven’t told you much about me, have they? It’s a TARDIS, a space ship that can travel back and forth in time.”

“Back in time,” I said slowly. “Then can we save my parents?”

“What happened to them?” she asked.

“They were blown up!” I cried. “My dad had been abducted and they put a bomb vest on him and forced him to recite gibberish, that this cylinder interpreted to mean that he would die if I wasn’t turned over to them. Mom died trying to get the vest off when it exploded. Please, help me!”

“Okay,” she said. “I don’t know the controls of your TARDIS. It is very intuitive though. Just flip some switches and it should take you to your parents.”

“How do I disable the bomb?” I asked.

As if to answer my question, a metal rod with buttons on it emerged. It had a purple light on it. I took and it felt perfect in my hand. 

“That will help you. Now just press a few buttons, flip some switches, and trust the TARDIS,” my mom said.

“Will you stay with me?” I asked.

“As long as I can.”

Completely at random, I flipped switches and pressed buttons. The glass cylinder in the middle went up and down. I could feel I was moving. After a couple minutes, the door opened.

I ran out and saw mom. She was about clip some wires on dad’s bomb vest in what looked like the middle of a bedroom.

“Mom, stop!” I shouted.

“Astra?” she said.

“Honey get away!” my dad said.

I really didn’t know what I was doing, but it felt right. I scanned the fuse box with the rod and the timer stopped. Scanning the rest of the of the vest, the hooks went undone. The vest dropped harmlessly to the floor.

“ASTRALINA” a booming voice said. “YOU ARE OURS!”

“Into the TARDIS!” I shouted.

For once, my parents listened. My mom’s head was still in the glass tube

“Hello J.J.,” she said.

“Doctor,” she said.

“YOU CAN’T ESCAPE US!”

“Where do I go!?” I shouted.

“Pick a place,” my mom in the glass tube said.

I closed my eyes and flipped switches.

“Do you know how to control this thing?” my mom asked.

“It’s intuitive,” I said.

The TARDIS was in motion. Then it stopped.

“Where are we?” my dad asked.

“Let’s find out,” I said and dashed to the door.

“Is it safe?” my mom asked.

I stepped outside on to a rock and gasped. I had never seen so many stars in my life. I closed my eyes and breathed it in. I was home.

“Astralina.”

My mom was standing in front of her TARDIS that looked like a police box. With short blond hair, she was wearing a long white coat with a rainbow stripe shirt on a dark background with dark pants.

I ran to her. She held me in a tight hug.

“Oh, you’re so beautiful,” she said. “You’ve got your father’s cheekbones.”

“I have so many questions,” I said.

“I know,” she said. “But we’ve got other problems. Your family is in danger. We need to find out what’s trying to kill your fam, and stop them.”

“We,” my dad said. “We need to put Astralina in the safest place in the universe, and go back home, and you can fight the monsters.”

“J.J., I warned you about this,” my mom the Doctor said. “There’d be a time when you couldn’t protect her and you’d have to let her take control of her destiny.”

“She’s only twelve!” my mom shouted.

“Almost thirteen,” I said.

“Astralina was born with a target on her,” my mom the Doctor said. “We can do this together.”

“Why can’t you do it alone!?” my mom exploded. “I don’t want her getting hurt! She’s my little girl!”

While the adults bickered, I looked to the stars. I felt radiant. It was most sensational feeling, existing among an infinitude of lights.

“Astralina?” my mom gasped.

I looked at myself and realized I wasn’t standing on the rock anymore. I was levitating. My whole body was glowing and my hair fanned around me.

“What’s going on?” I asked, panicked.

“You’ve been drawn to stars your whole life, right?” my mom the Doctor said. “They’re embracing you. Our race is older than most stars. We are made of the light.”

“What do I do?” I asked.

“What do you want to do?” my mom the Doctor asked.

“Save my friends and family,” I said.

She smiled.

“Then let’s get a shift on,” she said.


	7. Chapter Seven:

“So, who’s TARDIS are we taking?” I asked.

“I’ll shrink mine, to get it into yours,” my mom the Doctor said.

“How did you figure out how to work the cylinder?” my mom asked.

“After you two died in an explosion, I ordered it to help me,” I said.

“We died?” dad said.

“I had to do something.”

“Not that I’m not grateful to be alive, but will erasing our deaths cause problems?” my dad asked.

“Your daughter is the center of a time event,” my mom the Doctor said. “Time is in flux around her.”

“I still don’t like her being in the middle of this,” my mom said.

“Mom, I’m glowing and levitating,” I said. “I need to be involved.”

“We can’t keep arguing,” my mom the Doctor said.

She snapped her fingers twice and the box shrunk to the size of a milk carton.

“Let’ see what you’ve done with the place,” my mom the Doctor said and went in.

I followed her.

“How do I stop glowing?” I asked.

She held my hands.

“Close your eyes and focus all your energy on a pinpoint of light. Then snuff it out like a candle.”

Closing my eyes tightly, I focused. The light was beautiful. I blew on it like a candle. Stumbling to the ground, my mom the Doctor grabbed me.

“You never mentioned this in any of the notes you left,” my mom said.

“She’s half human and half alien,” my mom the Doctor said. “I wasn’t sure what would happen. The glowing thing is rare among my people.”

“Am I allowed to be mad that they never told me you were an alien from a TV show, making me half-alien?” I asked my mom the Doctor.

“We can sort out what your parents should have told you about me later,” she said. “Now take us back to the site of the averted explosion.”

I flipped switches at random.

“My daughter isn’t old enough to drive, yet she can use a spaceship/time machine,” my dad said.

The TARDIS was in motion.

My mom the Doctor looked at me. I tried to read her mind. She smiled.

“Has that gotten you in a lot of trouble?” she asked.

“Tons,” I said. “I also have clairvoyant dreams.”

“Oh, those can get you into trouble too,” my mom the Doctor said. “I’ve only known you for ten minutes and you are so much more remarkable than I imagined.”

“You are kind of incredible too,” I said.

We stopped moving.

My mom the Doctor grabbed my hand and we raced out.

“Stay close to me,” she said. 

“What do you want?” my mom the Doctor shouted. “Astralina is not yours to claim!”

“She will be the new fountain of our race,” a booming voice said. “Half human, half Gallifreyan, her human DNA will be stripped away and we will revive the Supreme Timelord.”

The air chilled. A look of horror appeared on my mom the Doctor’s face.

“I won’t let you,” she said. “She’s under Earth’s protection. I signed a bond in blood with her adoptive mother to keep her here.”

“When she turns thirteen in twelve days that contract will expire. That is when children are judged as adults by the Supreme Timelords. You will not be able to protect her. Until then Doctor.”

There was a rushing of wind that filled the air. It sent my nerves on end. Both of my mom’s hugged me.

“What was that?” my dad asked.

“Let’s discuss this over a cup of tea,” my mom the Doctor said. “Do you like tea?”

“No,” I said.

“Then milk,” she said.

SWAT personnel entered. My mom the Doctor pulled out credentials. 

“Interpol liaison,” she said.

“What’s the girl doing here?” one of the members asked.

“I asked her to be taken out of school,” my mom said. “I’ll explain later. I need to get her home.”

My mom the Doctor telepathically spoke to me.

“Will the TARDIS down to size,” she said.

I focused, and it reverted to the size of a soda can.

My mom the Doctor picked it up.

“Experimental tech,” she said. “We’ll be off.”

We went downstairs and Aunt Emily was waiting. 

“We need to talk,” she said.

…

No one spoke until we entered the BAU conference room where my BAU family, including Rossi, were assembled. My mom the Doctor didn’t even try to talk to me telepathically until then. She looked positively scared.

“I need to come up with a good story for how a tween girl disabled a bomb vest,” Prentiss said.

“I like it better than the one where Aunt Tara comes rushing to evacuate me, and I find out both my parents were blown up, while my friends watched,” I said.

“That really happened for you?” Aunt Tara said.

“You held me for three hours in a car while I cried,” I said, getting emotional.

“Oh honey,” my mom said rubbing my arm.

“So, let me guess,” Aunt Emily said. “You read my mind for the safe combination, and pulled the cylinder out. How much did you find out about your mom?”

“That you’ve been lying to me about everything,” I said. “I Googled Time Lady and found her picture and everything I was doodling was the Gallifreyan alphabet.”

Aunt Penny slapped her forehead.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” she said. “It’s been thirteen years since that show was on. I completely forgot about the alphabet.”

“I never did that,” my mom the Doctor said. “I was a terrible speller.”

“What can you tell us about the threat facing my daughter?” my mom asked “I saw the look of fear on your face. They sounded like a menace.”

“They’re essentially time Nazis,” she said. “They believe the Time Lord race is superior to all others, along with ethnic cleansing.”

“They are Nazis,” Uncle Matt said.

“But wait,” Uncle Luke said. “Time Lord’s aren’t born if I remember what I read. How do you make a Time Lord?”

“Someone remembered their history lessons. They would make her stare into to the time stream to release her full potential,” my mom the Doctor said. “Then they’d take her to the center of Gallifrey to listen for her name and bind her regenerations, to it.”

“How do we keep her safe?” my dad asked.

“If I thought sending her to the other side of the universe was the best way to keep my child safe, I would do it in a heartbeat,” my mom the Doctor said. “But it won’t. They’ll hunt her down there. We have less than two weeks to come up with a better plan. I can get help, but you can’t hide her. Astralina needs to play a part in this.”

“We have unlimited resources through the government to conceal her,” my mom said.

“Killing you and Will was a test,” my mom the Doctor said. “Astralina succeeded by saving your lives using her abilities, the next time they kill, it will be far more permanent.”

I stood up. I closed my eyes and relit the light in my mind. I opened my eyes and I was glowing again.

“I deserve a chance to help decide my fate,” I said.

“That’s new,” Uncle Dave said.

I floated high above them.

“If you don’t, you won’t know what I’m capable of on my own.”

Aunt Emily quickly closed the blinds.

“You’ve made your point. You’ll have a voice,” she said.

I moved to the floor. My mom the Doctor nodded at me with a slight smile.

“That’s my girl,” she said telepathically.


	8. Chapter Eight:

Chinese food was ordered in.

“The Han Dynasty had some of the best food,” my mom the Doctor said. “I ate Wu Hou Mackerel cooked by Louhu himself. It was delicious.”

“You really have traveled through all of time and space?” I said, shocked.

“Not all of it,” she said. “There will always be more to see.”

“So not only is my biological mom NOT an arms dealer, she also has two hearts like me, among many other things,” I said.

“I really should jettison the lot of you into deep space for turning me into an arms dealer,” she said. “I hate guns. I’m generally against using weapons of   
any kind, when brains over brute force wins time and time again.”

“You don’t seem overly mad,” Aunt Tara said.

“Because, you’ve done a brilliant job with Astralina,” my mom the Doctor said. “You seem like a bright, well-adjusted, young woman.”

“Why did you give me up?” I asked her.

“Your parents weren’t lying when they said it wasn’t safe for you to be with me. I’ve made many enemies in the over two thousand years I’ve been alive. You’re safer in this dimension, where aliens are just a myth.”

I stared at her.

“You’re really that old?”

She nodded.

“I don’t look it, but it’s true.”

There was a zapping sound. A man with sharply cut brown hair in a long military coat appeared.

The agents drew their guns on him.

“Not the welcome I was expecting,” he said.

“Jack, I texted you to wait,” my mom the Doctor said with a hint of annoyance.

“I wanted to see my godchild,” he said.

“You’re my godfather?” I said.

“Ian declined, so you’re stuck with me kid,” he said with a smile.

“But I already have godparents,” I said. “Aunt Penny and Uncle Matt.”

“It’s tradition among Gallifreyans to have four parents representing both sides of the family,” my mom the Doctor said.

“I’m Uncle Jack,” he said. “God, I love the sound of that. You must be Astralina. I like the color of your hair with the waves. I’ve thought about going blond. What do you think Doctor?”

“You’re Jack Harkness,” my dad said. “The immortal American from the future.”

“Guilty as charged,” he said.

“How’d you get into this dimension anyway?” my mom the Doctor asked.

“Oh, I drugged a dimension hopper specialist and stole his tech,” he said.

I tried to read his mind.

“She’s a mind reader!” Uncle Jack said delightedly. “What other talents do you have?”

“Clairvoyant dreams and this,” I said, allowing myself to glow.

“Cool,” he said.

“What the difference between immortality and you, mom?” I asked.

“Jack got in an accident in the TARDIS where he absorbed the energy of the TARDIS. I only have a limited number of lives.”

“So, do we have a plan yet?” he asked taking seat and a box of Chinese food.

“She just learned that I’m not a telly character from a show that hasn’t been on in thirteen years.”

“That is a lot to absorb kid,” he said. “You are cute. You have your father’s face.”

“Who’s my godmother?” I asked.

Uncle Jack laughed. 

“This should be good.”

“My wife I see infrequently from a marriage with a different face, River Song.”

“We’re getting off topic,” Aunt Emily said. “We need a plan before everyone goes home.”

“Have you gotten bossier?” Uncle Jack asked. “I sense you’ve been promoted a few times since we last met.”

I stifled a laugh.

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Aunt Emily said. “This is no joking matter. Time Nazis are after Astralina.”

“Those are nasty people,” Uncle Jack said. “It’s good thing I brought my compact weapons locker.”

“Your uncle and I have vastly different approaches to solving problems,” my mom the Doctor said.

She stood up.

“The supreme time lords, never travel alone. They will use at least two other alien races bent on destroying earth. Prepare for a full-scale invasion.”

“Just over Astralina?” Uncle Luke said.

“This is about showing domination,” she said. “They’re like any other hate group. They thrive on terror and causing mayhem. Astralina is the goal, but they will also go after humanity for programming her to think like one, instead of a Gallifreyan.”

“What do we do?” Aunt Penny asked.

“I’ll speak with your president tomorrow,” she said. “I’d like to reroute satellites to cause maximum telecommunication disruption. Then I start training Astralina to fend off attacks of the mind.”

“Can I please arm them?” Uncle Jack said. “Just as a precaution.”

My mom the Doctor sighed.

“Fine.”

“It’s getting late,” my mom said. “I want to take Astralina home.”

“Sounds good,” the Doctor said. “Mind if I join you?”

“No,” my dad said.

We prepared to leave the conference room.

“I hope your mom has promised to take you to Han China,” Uncle Jack said, picking at the box. “This Chinese is terrible.”

My mom the Doctor rolled her eyes as we left.

…

After another quiet ride home, we arrived, and I yawned.

“Bed for you,” my mom said.

“But I just met my bio mom,” I said.

“Bed and no phone,” she said.

“This seems a lot like a punishment for saving your lives,” I said.

“It’s late Astra,” my dad. “We’re not forcing you to go to school. You’ll have all day with her tomorrow.”

I huffed and went to bed. My mind was spinning with everything I now knew.

Changing for bed, I thought about my mom the Doctor. She was funny and kind. She understood my passion for the stars. Being with her felt right.

…

I woke up to my left heart aching. Something wasn’t right. I ran downstairs.

My mom was standing over my mom the Doctor with a smoking gun in the living room. My mom the Doctor was bleeding out. 

I went to my mom the Doctor.

“DON’T TOUCH HER!” she screamed. “She’ll just regenerate. Hopefully into a man. You can’t have two moms. I’M YOUR ONLY MOM!”

There was a flash of green in her eyes. This wasn’t my mom. Something had possessed her.

“Where is dad?” I asked.

“I sent him out to get milk for your cereal tomorrow,” she said in a very normal voice.

I had to choose which mom to save. I prayed that I knew what I was doing.

Lifting my right hand, I shot yellow light out of it. It hit my mom in the chest and she fell into a chair. I rushed to her and put my hand to her head and focused on reading her mind.

…

My mom was in a white room tied to a chair with tape over her mouth. I quickly undid the knots and pulled the tape off.

“I’m sorry,” she cried. “They made the jealousy in me take over.”

“WE WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING YOU LOVE UNTIL YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT.”

I grabbed my mom by the hand, and visualized the living room.

…

My mom the Doctor was dead. My mom sobbed beside her. I felt no pulse. I laid my glowing hands on her. Nothing. I focused so hard my nose began to bleed. Starting to feel light-headed, I saw a vision of my father Spencer. He said a word that sounded like nothing I had ever heard before. I thought of the Gallifreyan word I couldn’t interpret. Still glowing with all my might, I breathed the word into my mom the Doctor’s left ear. Then I collapsed on the floor.  
I felt a hand on my face. My mom the Doctor appeared in my line of hazy vision.

“Who told you my name?” she asked.


	9. Chapter Nine:

I woke up to the sensation of having no shirt on and stickers attached to my body.

“Brainwaves are perfectly normal,” someone with a British accent said. “It looks like she’s waking up.”

I saw both of my moms, on either side of me. A dark-skinned woman was monitoring something on a computer next to my mom. She turned to me and smiled

“Hello,” she said. “I’m Dr. Jones. I traveled with your mum when she had a different face, and gave you your first physical.”

Martha began to remove the stickers attached to wires.

“I’ve been monitoring your vitals all night,” she explained. “You gave everyone quite a scare.”

My throat was dry.

“I was trying to save both my moms,” I said.

“And you did,” my mom the Doctor said. “Such a brave girl.”

My mom didn’t say anything.

“I’ll let you get dressed,” Jones said.

“I’ll make tea,” my mom the Doctor said.

“I hope they have Earl Grey,” Jones said.

I got a sip of water, washed up, and put on fresh clothes. My mom then hugged me.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”

“I know,” I said. “The aliens made you do it.”

“But part of me wanted to pull that trigger without the help of the aliens. That’s the part they latched on to. It turned into action.”

“Are you that jealous of her?” I asked pulling away.

She wiped away a tear.

“I loved you the minute I saw you. I vowed to love you as my own. My beautiful daughter. Yet you had other thoughts in mind. Your eyes are filled with stars. Every time you go outside at night, I see it. Your eyes glow with longing. I knew I couldn’t keep you forever. Oh god, Astra, I’m terrified of losing you, my most precious daughter.”

I hugged her tightly.

“You are my mom,” I said. “My mom the Doctor trusted you to raise me. I have never stopped loving you. You yell at me when I misbehave, you congratulate me when I do good, and love me no matter what. You’re everything I could ask for in a mom. I love you and nothing will change that.”

My mom kissed my head.

“I love you so much.”

“Ditto,” I said.

“Come on,” she said. “We have a ton of company.”

“What?”

“You’ll see,” she said.

I walked downstairs with her and my living room had never been fuller. It was mostly older women but there were a few guys and a couple younger women. 

They stopped chatting and looked at me.

“Hello Astralina,” a woman with frizzy red hair said. “I’m your godmother, Aunt River.”

My mom the Doctor appeared with Jones.

“No rushing her,” she said. “It is not every day a kid finds out there is a brigade protecting her.”

“What?” I said.

“We’re the Astralina Brigade,” an older woman with bright red hair said. “We formed after the BAU took you home. We’ve met on your birthday for the last twelve years to discuss how to protect you if something came up.”

“I thought I was born in the States,” I said.

“Doctor can you, do the mental recap thing, to save me from having to explain all the lies I’ve told her?” my mom said.

“Sure,” my mom the Doctor said.

My mom the Doctor touched my head and I closed my eyes.

Um, wow.

All these people, along with my BAU family, fought an alien uprising in London while I was in the womb. My mom the Doctor gave birth to me with a figure I think she’s purposely concealing, when everyone was abducted. They held a baby shower for me. These people loved me as much as my BAU family.

I stared at them.

“Thank you?” I said.

They laughed.

A woman of Pakistani descent was staring at me oddly. I dove in and read her mind.

…

They were racing across a moon-like surface as an array of guns slowly turned towards them. My father, dressed in nothing but a pair of skimpy black boxer shorts, whispered something into my mom the Doctor’s ear while she was only wearing a thin short nightgown. He raced ahead and the weapons hit him. His body was lit up in gunfire as they raced to the TARDIS.

…

I turned to my mom. Rage filled me.

“My dad sacrificed himself!” I exploded. “Why didn’t you tell me!?”

“I thought you were too young,” she said. 

“To know he died saving the lives of four people,” I said. “Seriously!?”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

I ran out of the house before anyone could stop me.

Heading in the direction of the nearby park, I stewed. So many lies told to me. I loved her and my BAU family, but how would I ever trust them again?

“They meant well.”

I turned to see my dad Spencer walking beside me in a suit with a purple shirt.

“Dad,” I said slowly. “Where are you?”

“One of the guns that shot me was a Ballista Core Fire Fist,” he said. “It sent me into a distant dimension.”

“Can I free you?” I asked.

“You’re not strong enough,” he said. “But one day, you will be.”

“How are you here?” I asked.

“I’m feeding off images from your memories created by my team and what you just saw. Please don’t be too angry at them. They were only trying to explain a truly outrageous story in terms you could understand.”

I sighed. 

“I know,” I said. “But can’t I be mad? Can’t I stomp my feet and run away like the kid I am?”

He smiled.

“I thought you wanted to be treated like an adult.”

“Can’t I have it both ways?”

“Oh Astralina. You’re growing up too fast right now. You can be mad. But try to also look at it from their perspective.”

“Okay,” I said.

He started to fade.

“Will I see you again?” I called.

“I’m always with you,” he with a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too, dad,” I said.

I turned around and walked back home.

My mom the Doctor was waiting.

“Are you cooled off?” she asked.

“I think there is a way to save dad,” I said.

“I’ve suspected as much for years,” she said. “But I didn’t want to pressure you. As much as you hate it, you’re still a kid. I don’t want to turn you into something you’re not ready for.”

“Even if I want it?”

“It doesn’t mean it should happen,” she said.

“I want my dad back,” I said forcefully. “I’ll do anything.”

“I know,” she said. “We’ve got a war to prepare for first. I need to prepare your agent family both physically and mentally. We’ll focus on your father Spencer, later, okay?”

I nodded. I vowed to find a way to bring my dad Spencer back.


	10. Chapter Ten:

“You’re used to blocking Astralina’s mind but not mine,” my mom the Doctor said. “Watch this.”

It was fascinating to watch as all of my BAU family and my dad, began to writhe in agony in the conference room.

“Focus on happy thoughts, like the Harry Potter books taught you,” she said. “Wield them against me.”

“The TV show never mentioned you having these powers,” Aunt Penny said.

“I don’t use them as a rule,” she said. “I need to break this rule in order to prepare you for what comes next.”

I watched them struggle. It was tempting to peak into their minds to see what horrors my mom the Doctor had awoken in them, but she had already sent me a warning look.

Aunt Penny was the first to break free.

“That was traumatizing,” she said.

Then my mom surfaced, followed by my dad. The others quickly surfaced afterwards. Aunt Emily struggled a little longer.

“That was painful,” she said breathing heavily.

“Astralina, your turn,” my mom the Doctor said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Don’t hesitate.”

I dove into Aunt Emily’s mind.

…

My dad Spencer, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans behind bars, he looked drugged out of his mind. Aunt Emily stood staring.

“I had to get him out of there,” she said. “It was so awful.”

I was going to be trapped here too if I didn’t do something.

“Think of a happy memory,” I said urgently.

“He deserved better,” she said. “He deserved more than to die in space.”

“Aunt Emily,” I said desperately. “Look at me. I am him. He is in me.”

She looked at me blankly.

“But you’re not him.”

“Dad!” I shouted. “Some help, please!”

My dad’s eyes focused, and he walked through the bars. He hugged Emily. She sobbed into his arms. 

“I never let it in,” she said. “I never let in, how much it hurt to see you suffer.”

“I know,” he said. “You need to be strong for my daughter. She needs you. Everyone needs you to be the FBI agent I was so proud to work with.”

“Okay,” she said. “I will be.”

I offered my hand. Aunt Emily took it.

…

We stared at each other wordlessly. I ran into her arms. 

“I’m sorry,” she said as she hugged me. “I’m sorry you had to see your father like that.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “He’s with all of you.”

We let go eventually.

“Who’s next?” I said with a laugh.

My whole BAU family looked positively terrified of me.

“Astra go get a soda,” my mom said.

“Okay,” I said with a shrug.

“We’ll see you in ten,” my mom the Doctor said.

“Sure,” I said and walked out.

My BAU family had always been wary of my abilities, but never scared. It was weird being able to freak out people who have faced down serial killers. I didn’t like it.

I walked to the empty bullpen. The team had been sent on another assignment. I took a seat and let my thoughts drift. I missed Rose. I wondered if I should be worrying about the class time I’m missing, not to mention homework. Will it matter, when everything is over?

“Hey kid.”

I turned around to see Uncle Jack.

“You look lost in thought,” he said. “Any place cool?”

“No,” I said. “Just thinking about school. It seems so small now.”

“You couldn’t keep me in school,” he said. “I started ditching when I was two years younger than you.”

“They’re afraid of me,” I said suddenly. “How do I deal with that?”

“If they love you as much as I think they do, it will fade. You’re a big question mark right now. People are afraid of what they don’t understand.”

“If you say so,” I said with a shrug.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said.

There was a smashing sound. Three figures that resembled salt and pepper shakers covered in round balls with guns and plungers appeared.

“YOU ARE AN ENEMEY OF THE DALEKS! YOU WILL BE DESTROYED!”

“Am I supposed to take them seriously?” I asked.

Uncle Jack pulled out a massive gun. He blew all their heads off with one shot.

“There’ll be more of them,” he said. “Let’s find your mom.”

We went into the conference room.

“Could you have at least questioned them before blowing them up?” my mom the Doctor said angrily.

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll get answers soon,” Uncle Jack said.

A mechanical foot slammed through the ceiling. The rest of the body of a robot appeared.

“You will be upgraded.”

“I am getting a little flabby,” Uncle Jack said. “So how about a tummy tuck?”

“What do you want?” my mom the Doctor asked.

“To destroy Astralina Reid’s family.”

It aimed a hand at my dad. Uncle Jack blew his head off.

The door fell off its hinges. A figure with a rhino head in a space suit carrying a gun appeared.

“We’re here to apprehend, Astralina Reid.”

“I have a contract!” My mom the Doctor said. “She had ten more days on Earth!”

“It has been discovered that the contract was signed without a Gallifreyan witness. It has no legal implications.”

“Uncle Jack!” I said telepathically.

“Their weapons outweigh mine,” he said back mentally. “Let the Doctor try to outsmart them.”

“You can’t have her!” my mom shouted.

“Do not interrupt these proceedings.”

The Judoon thrust a hand towards me. My mom shot at it. It turned away from me and vaporized my mom.

Something in me broke. I lost her again. I thought of every hug, every kiss, my mom gave me. I thought of every time I came home crying and she soothed me. Every time she smiled at me. My mom was everything to me.

My body lit up I rose from the ground and put a hand to its horn. It cracked and bled and with the rest of it body until it dissolved into a pool of guts. It died, painfully, and that made me happy.

“Astralina,” my mom the Doctor said desperately. “You have every right to be angry, but you can’t tap into the darkness, or it will destroy you.”

“I WANT MY MOM BACK” I screamed.

“We’re still in the middle of a time event,” she said. “I think it’s possible.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” I screamed. “YOU DIDN’T SAVE HER! I HATE YOU! I HATE ALL OF YOU!”

“Honey,” my dad pleaded.

“I HAVE TO END THIS!”

With a flick of my wrist, I smashed the outer window and flew through it. I kept flying higher through the air, as rage coursed through my veins. My body was as bright as the sun. I didn’t care. I wanted revenge.

“You Supreme Timelords!” I called. “I’m here!”

Their ships resembled boats, with an hourglass crest on the sails.

“You are angry,” a voice said. “We will eliminate the pain of your human parentage. You will be pure Gallefreyan and the pain will cease.”

“I don’t want to stop the pain,” I said furiously. “I want you to feel it.”

Every atom of my skin was on fire. I blasted the ships with my rage. I let them feel every inch of my agony.

I realized it wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I wanted everyone to know my pain. To keep killing. To burn down everything.

A song filled the air. I didn’t know how I could hear it. My mom the Doctor was in my ear, but there were others. I tried to ignore it, but the singing grew louder. It was the Astralina brigade. It was my BAU team. My mom.

I turned and saw her floating next to me.

“Mommy?” I said.

She shook her head.

“It can’t be undone.”

I let out an agonizing cry.

“You are the burning heart of the universe my love,” she sang. “You fill the world with light/You are a champion of humanity/defend it with all of your might.”

There were more verses about hope and love. About the promise of brighter days as compassion always wins. The future is powerful with the resolve to show that pain cannot win when joyful courage reigns supreme.

I felt the rage dying. The pain turned into and an aching sob. I fell out of the sky.


	11. Chapter Eleven:

I spent my thirteenth birthday in a coma. I suppose that happens when you become so powerful, you nearly destroy the planet. Jack apparently, used his wrist transporter to grab me before my mom the Doctor could summon the TARDIS.

When I woke up, my dad was beside me. There were tears in his eyes.

“Hey star girl,” he said with a weak smile.

“It wasn’t a nightmare, was it?” I said croakily. 

“I’m afraid not,” he said.

I reached for him and he hugged me. We cried together.

…

My mom the Doctor and I sat on my porch the day after I was released. 

“The world doesn’t know what happened,” she said. “Your earth isn’t ready to know that aliens exist. The US government made up a story about an experimental weapon being tested that went awry and killed your mother. You were injured in the crosshairs”

“Sometimes you have to lie because the truth is too hard to explain,” I said.

“You know a lot about that,” she said.

“I’m not angry at them anymore,” I said. “I don’t entirely trust them, but I love them too much to be mad anymore.”

“That’s a sign of maturity,” she said.

“What now?” I asked.

“We continue to mourn and remember,” she said. “We also celebrate and vow to keep who we love in our hearts.”

“You’ve lost a lot, haven’t you?” I said.

“Too much for any one person,” she said. “But that is who I am.”

“Is that what I will be?”

She looked at me closely.

“The future is yours to decide,” she said.

We then sat in silence.

…

A couple days after I woke up there was a candle light memorial for my mom in the park. The team stood together while the Astralina Brigade stayed on the edge. My dad was a wreck. Henry and Michael told me he hadn’t been sleeping well. Every time he would look at me, he’d burst into tears. Something had broken, in him, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.

“You were the best thing to ever happen to me, Jennifer,” my dad sobbed as Henry held him. “I you’re know with me, but I’ll spend the rest of my life missing you. You were my light J.J., and now you’re gone.”

I declined to speak.

“Agent Jareau represented the best in all of us,” Aunt Emily said. “A superior agent, an even better mother and wife. I counted her among my best friends. I love you Jennifer. I hope you’re at peace.”

My brother Michael was the last to speak.

“Mom you’re watching over all of us,” he said. “You are in the lights in our hearts. Everything we do, is in honor of you. Our love for you will shine long after the candles burn out. Your love made us stronger. We are better because you were in our lives. I love you mom.”

We blew out our candles. The wisps of smoke moved around and grew. My father Spencer materialized.

“J.J. was my best friend,” he said. “I loved her more than anyone will ever know. Losing her, is like losing part of myself. I will love her forever. She sent me a message to give you, as she moved on:

Wipe away your tears and remember me with joy. Live in my name and celebrate life. My gift is my love of all of you. Share and embrace it. Will, I will never leave you. Henry, Michael, and Astralina, you are my greatest treasures. Choose a life of meaning that is perfect for each of you. All my love, Jennifer, J.J. Jareau.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the park. I knew what I had to do. What I could do. I approached him and thought of every happy memory I ever had with my mom. It lit my hand up so brightly, that the park was drenched in light. I pressed it into my father Spencer’s chest.

I felt his arms around me.

“You did it,” he said.

“I did,” I said weakly.

“I want your mom back too,” he said. “I wish there had been another way.”

My dad approached him.

“Take Astralina with you,” he said.

“What!?” my dad Spencer said.

“Take her with you!” he sobbed. “All I see, when I look at my star girl, is what I’ve lost. That isn’t fair to her. Take her with you!”

My mom the Doctor approached us.

“Whatever you want Astralina,” she said.

“What about my safety?” I asked.

“I’ll teach how to use your powers,” she said. “I think you’ll be okay.”

I thought about my life on earth. Rose had so many questions, when I woke up, and I didn’t know how to answer any of them. School seemed so insignificant. My life had changed dramatically.

Looking to my BAU family, they all nodded. There were tears in their eyes, but also slight smiles.

“The stars,” I said.

I turned to my dad Spencer. He nodded.

“I’m coming with you.”

I hugged him again. My mom the Doctor embraced us too. We were finally a family. If only the cost hadn’t been so high.

Six Hundred Years Later:

I spent every summer with my BAU family. I stopped aging at twenty-five. My mom had changed faces the year before, and was finally a ginger. I watched and celebrated new jobs, relationships, and retirement. I became an aunt by both my brothers and a godmother to Rose’s first child (she learned the whole story by time she was fifteen). My father moved back to New Orleans a year after I left, and a few years later, found love again. No matter far I traveled, the BAU would always be my home.

My mom the Doctor died for good a hundred years ago. The universe went into mourning. Even the Davros, the chief Dalek, paid his respects. She died of old age. Her body simply gave out. We had traveled together and apart over the years. I vowed to keep her legacy alive.

I still have four regenerations left in me. I tried being a man twice over the last nine and didn’t particularly care for it. I acquired companions over the years, one was my great nephew from Henry. I was never as powerful as I was when I was thirteen, but that time has long since passed.

My father is immortal, with a caveat. He traveled with me or my mom the Doctor and always came back to life. He hasn’t aged a year. We saw a specialist and learned his immortality is tied to mine, and that when I die, he will die soon after. He’s been traveling with me since my mom the Doctor died.

We’ve watched so many friends and family die, the curse of being semi-immortal. But we always make new ones, and keep the ones we lost alive with stories. No one is truly dead so long as we keep them alive in our hearts.

This is my story. The story of my mom’s brave death. The story of how my BAU family raised me to journey the stars. The story of my mom the Doctor’s decision to give her greatest love away, with hope for a happy reunion in the future. This is the story of my father Spencer’s love for the BAU and my mom the Doctor. This is a story of love rooted on earth and in the stars.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing ever word of this trilogy. I wish more people did too. I hope in time, someone will discover it, and want to leave a comment. Thank you!


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